Riyadh (TDI): Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Riyadh on Tuesday, marking his first visit to Saudi Arabia in over two years, according to Saudi media reports.
The visit comes amid a notable warming of ties between the two nations, which were once regional rivals.
In recent years, Ankara and Riyadh have steadily rebuilt their relationship, cooperating on several diplomatic fronts. This includes joint support for Gaza and backing Syria’s new government following Bashar al-Assad’s overthrow in 2024.
During his visit, Erdogan is expected to meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. This marks his first trip to the kingdom since July 2023, when he toured the Gulf region to encourage investment.
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While no official agenda has been released, Turkish media reported that discussions will focus on “deepening cooperation” and broader regional and global developments.
Following Saudi Arabia, Erdogan will travel to Cairo on Wednesday. The visit comes shortly after media reports that Turkiye would not participate in a proposed mutual defense pact between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, despite earlier talks suggesting Ankara was exploring the possibility of joining the alliance.
Relations between Turkiye and Saudi Arabia were severely strained after the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Ankara pursued the case aggressively at the time, conducting its own investigation and sharing detailed findings with international media, a move that angered Riyadh.
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The Riyadh meeting also occurs ahead of a potential round of US-Iran talks in Turkiye on February 6, as Tehran seeks to resume nuclear negotiations while Washington warns of consequences if a deal is not reached. Erdogan has positioned himself as a key mediator, playing a leading role in efforts to prevent further conflict between the two longtime adversaries.
